Waiting Kids in U.S. Foster Care

State-by-state information

Throughout the United States, more than 400,000 children and youth in foster care need families. For reasons such as abuse, neglect, and abandonment, their birth families are unwilling or unable to provide for their needs. When this happens, a safe foster family is needed to step in and provide temporary care. The goal of foster care is reunification with the birth family, but this is not always possible. A court may determine that a child cannot safely live with his or her birth family. In such cases, the search begins for a family willing to adopt.

To view pictures of some of the waiting children and youth in your state, please click on the map below, which will take you to state-specific information through the AdoptUSKids web site.